Fulling wool and the like



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I. Eh JFARBENINDUSTRTE AKTIJENGESELLSCHAFT, 01F FRANIKTORT-ON-THE-MMN, GERMANY, A CORJPQRATION 0F GENT.

FULLTNG WOOL AND THE 1LT.

INT, ASSIGNQR TQ 1% Drawing. Application filed August 13, 19%, .Serial No. 129,081 and in Germany January 211, 1925. i

This application is a continuation in part including subject-matter transferred from my copending application Ser. No. 83,143,-

m esses to which fibrous materials or textiles are subjected and in which no soap has been or can be used, can be improved by an addition of organic sulfonic acids or their salts to the preparations or liquids applied to the s said materials. The suli'onic acids to be employed in accordance with my invention may belong to the aliphatic series such as sul-fonated brown coal tar oils, or more suitably to the aromatic series. Among the latter, in

as general, those containing side chains have been found to be most suitable. ll may mention as examples of compounds especially suitable for these purposes propyl and butyl derivatives of naphthalene sulfonic acids,

at also aromatic sulionic acids substituted by alkylated amino groups, for example dimethyl metanilic acid, diamyl-alpha-naphthylamine sulfonic acid or similar compounds, or their salts; v The said sulionic acids can beused with great advantage as an addition to acid tulling baths used for W001 or other animal fibres. The sultonic acids may be employed in connection with other additions, including soap as or saponaceous materials. By the said additions the materials are very uniformly and rapidly wetted and well penetrated by the tulling bath. The ordinary process of acid tulling is objectionable for the reason that an much time is necessary to complete the pen e tration of the fibres by the acid and further for the reason that due to the varying permeability ot the walls oi the fibre to the acid part of the fibre is tulled to a greater extent than an the rest of it, producing an uneven effect.

' The beneficial action produced by applicants addition of a very small amount of sulphonic acids of aromtic hydrocarbons is due in the main to the fact that such addition promotes an a more ready and intimate contact between the walls and the acid solution owing to the high wetting and penetrating power of the sulphonic acid. By virtue of these proper ties the falling process is efiected tar more thoroughly and in a much shorter time than hitherto. Furthermore the difiiculty arising from the varying permeability of the fibres is overcome, for the reason that by the use of these compounds the fibres are completely fulled at all points regardless of difierences in permeability thus producing the desired even appearance. The sulfonic acids have the great advantage of being stable in acid solutions, whereby the necessity of using alkali fulling and subjecting animal fibres, espe cially wool, to the risk of being damaged by the alkali, is avoided. In the process of fulling which forms the subject matter of this application, care should, however, be taken to ascertain that the sulfonic acids employed possess in the utmost only. weak tanning properties, which means that they should be practically unsuitable for use in tanning.

For example, acid tulling may be carried out at ordinary temperature with dilute sulturic acid of 3 degrees Baum, containing about 2 grammes of isopropylated naphtha lene sulfonic acid or its salts per litre. The

operation is efie'cted with woolen goods, for

example unfelted hat bodies, for about an hour whereupon the acid is washed out as usual.

It is to be understood that my invention is not limited to this particular example which is only given for the purpose of illustrating how my invention may be carried out in practice.

I do not generally claim, in this application, the processes of treating fibres or fibrous materials with the aid of sulfonic acids, as are claimed in the parent application Ser. No. 83,143.

What ll claim is:

1. The process of acid iulling wool and other animal fibres comprising the step of treating with an acid bath containing less than one per cent of an aromatic suli'onic acid substituted by a side chain which is practically unsuitable for use in tanning.

Z The process of acid itulling wool and other animal fibres comprising the step of treating with an acid bath containing less than one per cent of naphthalene sulfonic acid substituted by an alkyl radicle selected from the group oi propyl and butyl radieles. 3. An acid i'ulling bath for woolen goods containing less than one per cent of naph-. thalene sultonic acid substituted by an ill) lllltll quantity of an aromatic sulphonic acid subi stituted by a side chain.

6" The process of acid toiling wooi amt other animal fibres com rising the step of 15 treating with an acid batcontaining a small quantity of naphthalene sulphonic acid substituted by'an eikyi redicle selected from the group of propyl and but i radicies.

7. An acid felling bati for Woolen goods 20 containing a small quantity of naphthalene suiphonic acid substituted by an alkyl radiclc selected from the group of propyl and butyi radicies in conjunction with an acid fuiling agent.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOSEPH NUSSLEIN} 

